Railway skate control system



Jan. 2, 1962 v. JEFFERSON RAILWAY SKATE CONTROL SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Sept. 11, 1958 Jedi 012 I? 7 22 -i b 455 F INVENTOR. GlenVJei'iersozz w- L Qtd HIS ATTORNEY Track Gradejz Jan. 2, 1962 G. v.JEFFERSON RAILWAY SKATE CONTROL SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 11,1958 INVENTOR. Glen I. Jefferson H M o 5 5 csz i /Vmw an MM .H R MM fi QAQ Q 9 W 3 H o m JWTQRH H15 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,015,724RAILWAY SKATE CONTROL SYSTEM Glen V. Jefferson, Edgewood, Pa., assignorto Westinginghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmerding, Pa., a cor poration ofPennsylvania Filed Sept-11, 195s, Ser. No. 760,400 Claims. (Cl. 246-182)My invention relates to railway skate control systems, and moreparticularly to a skate control system for positioning a skate inresponse to car movements in designated track sections.

In railway classification yards, skate braking apparatus may beadvantageously used for various applications, such as for example, atthe exit end of storage tracks. In such an application, skates are usedto stop those cars moving along said storage track at an undesirablyhigh velocity sufiicient to cause said cars to move into adjacentdeparture or ladder tracks instead of stopping within the limits of thestorage trackj Heretofore, skate apparatus has been manually placed in abraking position which .operation is expensive, slow, and ineflicient.

' Accordingly, it is a principal object of my invention to provide acontrol system for positioning of skateapparatus in direct response tothe movement of a car over designated track sections. V w

In a classification yard, after the desired cars have been routed to aparticular track, a locomotive moves into the storage track from theladder track to couple and pull the cars out of the storage track. Thuswhen it is desired to move the cars out of the storage track any skateapparatus positioned on said storage track must be moved from itsbraking position to a non-braking position in order that it will notinterfere with the move ment of the car and the locomotive. Y

It is .therefore another object of my invention to provide trackcircuitry for controlling movement of a skate between braking andnon-braking positions in response to the movement of a vehicle intodesignated track sections. v i

It is desirable that any skate'apparatus employed positively stop orbrake the force of a moving car within a definite predetermineddistance. I

. It is therefore still another-object of my invention 1 to provide askate apparatus including a clutch braking mechanism in which therestraining force of a clutch is utilized in addition to the frictionforce of the skate on the rail to provide thetotal braking force. V

In theattainment of the foregoing objects, I provide new-andimprovedskate braking apparatus for railway cars and control circuitry forautomatically positioning ice FIG. 2, and showing a carwheel engagingthe skate;

FIG. 4 is a view partially in cross section taken along the lines IV--IVof FIG. 2;

FIG; 5 is an isometric view of a portion of the skate apparatus shown inFIGS. 1-4;

. FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross section of the braking clutch taken alongthe lines VIVI of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 .is a sketch of the track'section indicating a desired grade.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 7, it will be assumed that railroad carsmove from left to right, as oriented in the drawings, along a storagetrack. 10, and further that it is desired to positively brake or stopthe cars on track section 11 of storage track 10. Track 10 may be, forexample, a storage track in a gravity type classification yard used forreceiving-and storing cars prior to the cars being formed into a trainfor movement to a desired destination. As is known cars descend from ahump, not shown, in the classification yard and are routed to specificstorage tracks. The storage tracks lead into respective ladder ordeparture tracks over which a' locomotive normally enters the storagetrack to couple to and pull the cars out of said storage track. Heretrack 10 is shown as leading into ladder track 19. Rails 10a and 10b oftrack 10 are supported on ties 21 in the usual manner. Suitableinsulating joints 13, 15 and 17 divide storage track 10 into twotracksections 11 and 12.

The car braking means comprises a skate apparatus generally designatedas 23 and includes a skate 25; a U-shaped channel 26 on which skate 25rides; a reversible motive means shown as a motor 27 having an armature27a, a field winding 27b, and a brush assembly 270; a clutch 29; and adriving chain 31 connected to opposite ends'of skate 25, and circumposedaround a driving sprocket wheel 33 and a spaced idler wheel 35. An inputworm shaft '37 operatively connects motor 27 to the clutch 29, and anoutput shaft 59"connects the clutch 29 to the sprocket wheel 33. One endof chain 31 is afiixed, by any suitable means, ot the forward end ofskate 25 and the other end of the chain is affixed, also by any suitablemeans, to the after end of the skate. Skate 25 includes a body portion25a which rests on and rides on the upstanding legs of channel 26, seeFIGJ4; and, a braking portion 25b which rests on and rides on the heador rail 10a, see FIG. 5. A skate shoe 25c, shaped to conform to thecircumference of a car wheel, is afiixed to braking portion 25b as bybolt 25d which passes through apertured ears 25e formed on brakingportion 25b and through an aperture 25f formed in skate shoe'25c. Skate25 may also 'be made as one piece;

however since' shoe 25c is subject to considerable wear,

Further, the a and shall pointout the novel features thereof in theappended claims;

Other objects and advantages of my invention. will become apparent fromthe following description and the accompanying drawings in which;likereference characters refer to corresponding elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view' of the skate apparatus and thecircuitry-controlling said-apparatus; 5 1 FIG. 2 is an enlarged planview of the skate apparatus according to my invention; 5

FIG. 3 is an elevational view' of the apparatus of by forming the brakeshoe 250 as a separate piece a more inexpensive and convenientreplacement of the skate shoe may be made. j

Skate 25 is guided in channel 2 6 by rollers 41 which rollers rotate onthe lower shaft portion 43a of a stud 43 which passes through anaperture 25b"in body portion'25a. Channel 26 is affixed to ties 21by anysuitable means and ektendsparallel to rail 10a for'a'prede 1termineddistancegin one embodiment about 30 feet the right hand or afterend of channel .26 angles away from 103. and also downward from" theplane of the rail, FIGS. 2 and 3, for purposes hereinafter explained.'tAn extension or ramp 45 is disposed with one end abutting railhead 10aand arranged parallel to the angled portion of channel 26. Ramp 45 alsoangles downward from the horizontal plane of rail 10a. Ties 2 1 aresuitably beveled position and a non-braking position, both ofsaidpositions-being locatedwithin the limitsof track section 11.

The braking position, shown in solid lines in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, isdefined as that position wherein skate 25 rests on the head of rail aand is in a position to initially engage a car wheel moving into tracksection 11. The non-braking position, shown in dotted lines in FIGS. 1,2 and 3, is that position wherein skate 25 rests on the angled portionof channel 26 and on ramp 45 oif and away from rail 10a and does notinterfere with or affect the movement of cars over the rail.

Referring now to FIG. 6 as well as FIGS. 1 and 2 the braking clutch 29includes a cup-shaped housing 47 secured, as by bolts 28 passing throughapertured extensions 49 to suitably reinforced ties 21a. Housing 47 hasan'apertured cover 51 which is secured as by bolts 53 to the housing. Acentrally apertured output splined shaft 55 is journaled in a bushing 57extending through cover 51. Shaft 55 extends upwardly to receive asprocket wheel 33. Wheel 33 is angularly afiixed relatively to shaft 55by key 58. A bolt 59 extends downwardly through shaft 55 and isjournaled at its lower end in a bearing 61 located in a recess formed atthe bottom of housing 47. Bolt 59 is angularly afifixed relatively toshaft 55 by a key 62.

Clutch 29 includes an inverted cup-shaped casing 69 having a centrallyapertured web 6% which is spaced from cover 51 of housing 47 by washer72. The hub of the web 69a has a bushing 71 pressed therein which is inturn rotatably mounted on shaft 55. Clutch 29 further includes aplurality of alternately stacked friction plates 73a and 73b. Plates 73aare splined to the inside surface of casing 69 and extend transverselyfrom the casing 69 toward shaft 55. Plates 73b are splined into shaft 55and extend transversely toward the inner surface of the easing 69.Plates 73a are arranged to frictionally engage plates 73b. The outerperiphery of web 69a is cut to form a worm gear wheel 6% which is drivenby an input worm shaft 37. The upper end of bolt 59 receives anadjusting nut 63. A shoulder 59a formed near the lower end of bolt 59supports an apertured dished, or Bellville type, spring 65 which engagesthe lower plate of friction clutch 29. Spring 65 cooperates with bolt 59and nut 63 to adjust the contact pressure between the plates 73a and 73bso as to adjust the rate of retardation of the moving cars.

Worm shaft 37 is of the well known self-locking type and is constructedand arranged relatively to worm gear wheel 69!) so that worm 37 willtransmit the motion of motor 27 to wheel 69b. However, worm 67 will lockrelatively to gear wheel 69b when a force is applied to sprocket 33.More specifically the motor 27 drives gear wheel 69b and casing 69through worm 37; friction plates 73a splined to casing 69 are theneffective to drive friction plates 73b and shaft 55 connected thereto.Due to the spring load exerted on the friction plates 73a and 73b byspring 65 the rotation of plates 73a are effective to drive plates 73b.The sprocket wheel 33, affixed to shaft is then effective to drive chain31 and thus move skate 25 between its braking and non-braking positions,as will be further explainedhereinbelow. In contrast, when a car wheelengages and begins to move skate 2.5, sprocket wheel :33 and shaft 55connected thereto will of course start to rotate. Friction plates 73baffixed to shaft 55 will also start to rotate and engage and attempt todrive plates 73a. Plates 73a, in turn,'will tend to rotate casing 69and'gear wheel 69b. Because of the self-locking feature of worm shaft37, gear wheel 69b remains stationary. Consequently, plates 73b rotaterelatively to plates 73a and frictionally expend a portion of thekinetic energy of the forceapplied by the movingcar to the chain 31 andsprocket wheel 33. Thus a car tending to move skate 25 is braked.

The circuitry which control s movement of skate 25 in response to themovement of a car into track sections 11 and 12 is shown in FIG. 1.Skate 25 includes a suitable projection 25h positioned inany convenientplace on skate 25 and indicated only schematically in FIG. 1, whichduring the time skate 25 is in its braking position engages a button 75of insulative material mounted on the heel contact of a single poleswitch 77 and opens said switch. Switch 77 is biased to a normallyclosed position against its front contact a by a spring 73. Likewisewhen skate 25 is in its non-braking position projection 25h engages abutton 79 of insulative material mounted on the heel contact of a singlepole switch 81 and opens said switch. Switch 81 is biased to a normallyclosed position against its front contact a by a spring 83. The heelcontact of each of switches 77 and 81 are connected to a suitable sourceof potential here shown'as a battery 85.

The track circuit for track sections 11 and 12 includes track relays11TR and 12TR respectively, each having its operating winding connectedacross rails 10a and 1%. Relay IZTR is energized by a source ofpotential here shown as a battery 87 connected in series to resistor 86and across rails 10a and 10b. Relay 11TR is energized by a source ofpotential, here shown as a battery 89, which is connected to rails 10aand 16b in series through resistor 88 and over a front contact a ofrelay 12TR. Resistors 86 and 88 are the usual current limitingresistors.

As is well known in the art the shunting of a track circuit by thepresence of a car in the associated track section will deenergize theassociated track relay and will then cause the track relay to release. 1

Assume initially that track sections 11 and 12 are unoccupiedand thatrelays 11TR and 12TR are energized. Further assume that skate 25 is inits braking position, as shown in the solid lines in FIG. 1 and 2, andthat projection 25h engages button 75 causing switch 77 to be opened. Acar moving into track section 11 engages skate 25and moves the skatetoward its non-braking position. During movement of the skate, a portionof the kinetic energy of the moving car will be expended by the slidingfriction between the wheel of the car and the surface of rail 10a,between the skate 25 and the surface of rail 10a and in the frictionplates 73a and 73b of clutch 29. It is desirable that the frictionalrestraint of clutch 29 be adjusted according to predeterminedcalculations by means of tension bolt 59 to a value so that therestraining force of the clutch plus the friction between skate 25- andrail 10a dissipates all the kinetic energy of a moving car or cut ofcars to completely stop the car or cars within the confines of the skateoperating positions. Skate 25 may, depending on the actual velocity andweight of the moving car, stop the car at any intermediate position asthe skate is moved toward its extreme non-braking position.

The track section 11 is arranged to have a slight ascending grade, asshown greatly exaggerated in FIG. 7. After being stopped by the skate acar will roll back down the grade, due to gravity, thus clearing tracksec tion 11.. As a safety factor, section 12 may also have a grade sothat even if a car is not completely braked in section 11 and does moveinto section 12, gravity will still cause it to roll back down to clearboth track sections 11 and 12.

After the car clears track section 11, the skate 25, must be returned toits braking position in preparation for the next braking operation. Withtrack section'12 unoccupied relay 12TR will be energized by battery 87.Relay llTR will pick up its front contacts a and b since it is energizedby battery 89 over a circuit which may be traced from the positiveterminal of battery 89, resistor 88, front contact a of relay 12TR, rail10b, the operating winding of relayl lTR, and back through rail 10a tothe negative terminal of battery 89. At thispoint skate 25 has beenmoved to an intermediate position toward its non-braking position sothat switch 77 will be closed, thus energy will be supplied to thearmature 27a of motor 27 over a circuit which may be traced from thepositive terminal B of battery through front contact a of switch 77,front contact a of relay 11TR, lead 91, lead 92, brushes 27c, andarmature 27b of motor 27 to the negative terminal N of battery 85.Likewise energy will be supplied to the field winding 27b of motor 27over a circuit which may be traced from terminal B of battery 85 throughfront contact a of switch 77, front contact b of relay 11TR, lead 93,front contact d of relay 12TR, lead 95, field winding 27b, lead 97, andfront contact e of relay 12TR to terminal N of battery 85. Motor 27 willnow be energized to drive skate 25 toward its braking position by meansof worm shaft 37, casing 69, sprocket wheel 33 and chain 31. Motor 27will continue to operate until skate 25 reaches its braking positionwhere projection 25h engages button 75 and opens switch 77.

Assume now that it is desired to move-the cars out of a storage track.To couple to the cars, it is necessary for a locomotive to enter thestorage track from the ladder track 19 and move through track sections12 and 11, in that order, and without engaging or being obstructed by askate 25. When the locomotive moves into track section 12, energy frombattery 87 to relay 1'2TR will of course be shunted by the locomotivewheels and relay 12TR will release. As is obvious, release of relay 12TRopens its front contacts and closes its back contacts. By opening frontcont-act a of relay 12TR, energy coupled from battery 89 to'relay 11TR,over the circuit previously traced, will be interrupted and relayllTRwill release. At this time skate 25 is in its braking position, so thatfront contact a of switch 81 will be closed. Consequently, energy willbe supplied to the brushes 27c and armature 27b of motor 27 over acircuit which maybe traced from terminal B of battery 85, throughfrontcontact a of switch 81, back contact b of relay 12TR, lead 91, lead92, brushes 27c, and armature 27a to terminal N of battery 85.

To move the skate from its braking position to its nonbnaking position,it is necessary that the direction of rotation of motor 27 be reversedto drive sprocket wheel 33 andchain 31 in a direction to move'skate 25on rail 10a to its non-braking position. As is known, the rotation ofmotor 27 may be reversed by reversing the flow of current energy throughthe field winding 27b of the motor. Therefore, in order to reverse therotation of motor 27 energy is supplied to the field winding 27b over acircuit which may be traced from terminal B of battery 85, through frontcontact a of switch 81, back contact of relay 12TR, back contact d ofrelay 12TR, lead 97, field winding 27b,

lead 95, and back contact e of relay 12TR to terminal N of battery 85.

Thus in a first case, when skate 25 is in an intermediate position or atits non-braking position the field winding 27b is energized so thatsprocket wheel and chain 31 are rotated to move skate 25 to its initialbraking position. Likewise, in a second case, when skate 25 is in itsbraking position the field winding 27b is energized by current flowingin a reverse direction to that of the first case so that sprocket wheel33 and chain 31 are rotated to move skate 25 from its braking positionto its non-braking position.

The operation of my control system will now be briefly summarized.Assume initially that skate 25 is in its braking position and that a caror cut of cars is routed to storage track 10. Should the out be movingon track at a velocity greater than that desired, the cut will move intotrack section 11 and a wheel of the leading car will engage skate 25. Asthe wheel of the lead car moves the skate 25 over rail 10a the kineticenergy of the cut-of cars is expended by clutch 29 and skate 25 aspreviously described and the cut of cars is brought to a smooth stop.

After stopping, the cars will roll back down the track grade, thusclearing track sections 11 and 12. Skate 25 will, at this time, havebeen moved toward its non-braking position. With track relays 11TR and12TR both energized and since front contact a'of switch 77 is closed,energy will be supplied to the brushes 27c and armature 27a of motor 27and to field winding 27b of motor 27 causing the said motor to rotate ina desired direction to return skate 25 to its initial braking positionwhere projection 27h on skate 25 opens switch 77 and interrupts energyWhen it is desired to move the cars out of storage track 10, alocomotive will move into track 10 from ladder track 19. Skate 25 willat this time be at its braking position and front contact a of switch 81will be closed. When the locomotive shunts track Section 12 relay 12TRreleases, thus also causing relay 11TR to release. Energy will besupplied over front contact a of switch 81 to the brushes 27c andarmature 27b of motor 27. Energy will now be supplied to the fieldWinding 27b of motor 27 in a direction reversed relatively to thedirection of energy supplied when the skate was in its non-brakingposition. Skate 25 will be moved to its non-braking posit-ion so as notto obstruct the movement of the locomotive. When the locomotive and allthe cars clear the track sections 11 and 12, relays 12TR and 11TR willbe energized by their respective batteries to provide energizingcircuits for motor 27 to return skate 25 to its initial brakingposition.

While my inventon has been described with reference to a particularembodiment thereof, it will be understood that various modifications maybe made by those skilled in the art without departing from. theinvention. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover all suchmodifications within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination with a track rail, skate operating apparatus includinga skate movable along said rail between a car braking position on therail and a non-braking position off and away from said rail, said skatearranged in the braking position to engage a car moving on said rail,friction between said skate and said rail braln'ng said car, motivemeans, control circuits for said motive means, clutch means includingfriction plates and a drive shaft, said motive means connecting throughsaid plates and said shaft between its braking and non brakingpositions, and said clutch means including means for locking a firstgroup of friction plates relative to a second group of friction plates,said second group of friction plates being rotated due to movement ofsaid skate by a car whereby said second group of friction plates slideson said first group of plates for dissipating a portion of the kineticenergy of a moving car to add to the total braking force of said skate.

2. In combination with a pair of railway track sections at least thefirst of said track sections having a grade,

skate operating apparatus including'a skate movable by a car, saidfriction plates dissipating a portion of the kinetic energy of a movingcar for complementing the frictional braking force of said skate, saidcar after being stopped moving down said grade to clear said first tracksection, motive means, said clutch means connecting said motive meansthrough said friction plates to move said skate, and control means forenergizing said I motive means to return said skate to its brakingposition when said car clears said first track section.

3. In combination with first and second railway track sections, saidfirst track section having a grade, a, skate operating apparatusincluding a skate, movable along a' rail of said first track sectionbetween a car braking posif tion on the rail and a non-braking'positionofi and away from said rail, in the braking position said skate arrangedto engage and brake a moving car approaching from a first direction andup said grade, said skate being moved by said car from its braking toits non-braking position, said car when stopped then moving down saidgrade to clear saidfirst track section, a first control means associatedwith said first track section for returning said skate to its brakingposition when said car clears said first track section, a second controlmeans associated with said first track section for moving said skate toits non-braking position when said second track section is occupied.

4. In combination, with first and second railway track sections, saidfirst track section having a grade, a skate operating apparatusincluding a skate movable along a rail of: said first track sectionbetween a car braking position and a non-braking position oif and awayfrom said rail, in said braking position said skate arranged to engageand stop a moving car approaching from a first direction up said grade,and said skate moved by said car from its braking position to itsnon-braking position, after being stopped said car then moving back downsaid grade to clear said first track section,'a first control meansassociated with said first track section for returning said skate to itsbraking position. when said car clears said first track section, asecond control means associated with said second track section formoving said skate to its non-braking position when said second tracksection is occupied and said first track section is clear.

5. In combination, with first and second railway track sections, saidfirst track section having a grade, a skate operating, apparatusincluding a skate movable along a rail of said first track sectionbetween a vehicle braking position on the rail and a non-brakingposition 01? and away from said rail, in said braking position saidskate arranged to engage and stop a moving vehicle approaching from afirst direction up said grade as said skate is moved by said vehiclefrom its braking position toward its non-braking position, said vehicleafter being stopped then moving back down said grade to clear said firsttrack section, a first and a second relay having from; and back contactsassociated with said first and second track sections respectively, saidrelays being normally, energized, each of said relays being deenergizedwhen avehicle is present in the associated track section, saidfirst'relay being energized over a from contact of said second relay,reversible rotative motive means, means operatively conmeeting saidmotive means to said skate, said motive means being efiective to movesaid skate between its braking and non-braking positions, said motivemeans being energized over the front contacts of said first relay andthe front contacts of said second relay to rotate in a direction to movesaid skate from its non-braking to its braking position and said motivemeans being energized over the back contacts of said second relay torotate in a relatively reversed direction to move said skate from its"braking to its non-braking position, said first relay being energizedto cause said motive means to move said skate from its non-brakingposition to its braking position only when both said track sections areclear, and deenergization of said second relay before deenergization ofsaid first relay causing said motive means to move said skate from itsbraking position to its nons braking position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTION Patent No, 3 O15,724January 2, 1962 Glen V, Jefferson It is hereby certified that errorappears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that thesaid Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 6 line 43, after "shaft" insert to move said skate Signed andsealed this 24th day of April 1962 (SEAL) Attestz- ESTON Go JOHNSONDAVID L LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

